Track royalty

By Richard A. Ross
May 17, 2012 —

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Roll out the red carpet and sound the trumpets in honor of Eldred and Monticello’s remarkable track and field accomplishments. The Monticello boys clinched their third consecutive Division III title and the girls team claimed its first collective glory in 28 years. Both squads triumphed over Liberty to complete undefeated league seasons. The magnitude of the milestone made it one of the most compelling sagas in Monticello’s storied athletic lore. Liberty evinced a noble effort, but being thrust into the weightier Division III put them in over their heads. Details of the individual exploits can be read in the story entitled “Montie Milestones” on www.sportsinsightsny.com[1].

Meanwhile the Eldred’s boys and girls track teams made history again. Claiming their ninth consecutive Division V title, the girls were matched by the triumph of the boys, who won their eighth title in the past nine years. The win over Livingston Manor closed out another perfect season and marked the swan song on the Eldred track for a group of leading seniors, dubbed as “The Magnificent Seven” by Eldred volunteer assistant track coach Bill Kroohs. Kroohs provided the impressive résumé of the septet’s accomplishments, which covers the course of the past five years and encompasses cross country, indoor and spring track. Numbers in parenthesis indicate the grade of milestone(s).

Hunter Proscia: cross country (10) Section MVP, 2nd team All-Star, 11th place NYS, 3rd team NYS All-Star; (11) 3rd in Section 9, 2nd in Div. V, 3rd team NYS All-Star; (12) 1st in Div V, 2nd in Section 9, Top 10 OCIAA league meet, 1st team All-Star with 15th place in NYS meet, state meet sportsmanship winner; indoor track (10) 1st in section in 3200, 1600 and 1000, 2nd in 3200 at state qualifier, ran in NYS 3200; (11) 1st in section in 3200, 1600 and 1000, 3rd in state qualifier in 1000, NYS intersectional relay, Team MVP; (12) 1st in section in 3200, 1600, 4x400 relay set school record, Section 9 Division II champ 1600 and 3200, NYS 3200 participant, 14th in Nike Indoor Nationals in 3200; spring track (9) 2nd in section 3200, 1st in 4x800 relay; (10) 1st in 1600, 3200 and 4x800 in sectionals and Sullivan County, 5th in 3200 OCIAA; (11) 1st in 1600, 3200 sectionals and Sullivan County, 5th in 3200 at OCIAA, 1st in state qualifier and in Sullivan County, NYS participant 3200; Proscia participated in seven state championship meets.

Erika Bowring: cross country (10-12) scholar athlete all three seasons, team statistician; indoor track (10-12) state qualifier; (12) school record holder in long, triple and high jump, 1st in triple jump in sectionals; spring track (10-11) state qualifier, Monticello games Field MVP, 1st in long and triple jumps at sectionals; (12) school record in long and triple jumps and 4x100 relays, Penn Relay participant in 4x100.

Breanna Brucher: indoor track (11) school record in 55 hurdles; (12) 1st in OCIAA pole vault, 14th at NYS meet, 11th at Eastern States, school records in pole vault (10-7) and 55H,only Eldred girl to win at OCIAA; spring track (7-8) 1st in 4x100 at sectionals with school record set in 8th grade; (10) 1st in 100 and 4x100 at sectionals, 2nd in 200 at sectionals; (11) 1st in 100 and 200 in sectionals, 2nd in pole vault in sectionals; (12) school record in pole vault (10-9).

In the careers of these and fellow seniors Kayla Flieger, Equasia Edwards, Betúl Albayrak, and Zak Dilles, they have amassed almost 40 seasons among them and to date have been involved in over 15 championships. The girls are in pursuit of their fifth consecutive sectional title, while the boys seek their fourth in a row.